AEW star Swerve Strickland shared his thoughts on the importance of entrances in professional wrestling. Strickland believes young wrestlers should put more emphasis on their entrances, particularly when developing their characters.
The former AEW World champion’s entrances have engaged the crowd throughout his career. During his time on the regional scene, Strickland’s entrances played a key role in how he presented himself.
Now in AEW, Strickland has carried that over by using music he recorded himself to add another layer to his character. In doing so, he has been able to establish a strong connection with the audience.
AEW Star Swerve Strickland Reveals Why More Importance Should Be Put on Entrances
Swerve Strickland revealed that putting more emphasis on entrances has a lasting impact on a wrestler’s career. The AEW Trios champion feels that all facets of an entrance, from the music and lights to the video, play a key role in the storytelling.
“That’s something that a lot of young people need to really understand and really pay attention to. Like, your videotron has to match the look, which has to match the entrance, which has to match the sound, which has to match the aura that you’re giving off the people and how they feel about you,” Strickland said during a 2024 appearance on The Game Plan.
Strickland also pointed to the immediate reaction from the audience as a strong indicator of an entrance becoming synonymous with a wrestler.
“If they don’t feel like bouncing and jumping after you hit someone in the backstage segment, it’s just not going to add up. So all those things have to kind of match and line up.”
Strickland Reveals How He Selected His Entrance Music
Strickland also revealed his thought process behind selecting his own entrance music on the indies, as well as in AEW.
“I came out to Jackson 5 when I debuted in CZW. It was Sami Callihan’s idea that really started that. Then when I went over to the UK, then came back, I noticed how the UK fans really take to certain songs,” Strickland said during a 2024 appearance on The Game Plan.
Strickland also credited a family gathering for sparking his interest in using particular songs. He recalled seeing how his family reacted to Chaka Khan’s ‘Ain’t Nobody.’ The former AEW World champion was inspired to replicate that feeling in his entrance.
“When I was at my mom’s birthday party and everybody was sitting, all my family and relatives were sitting around chilling. And my uncle put on this aux cable on his phone and he played ‘Ain’t Nobody’ by Chaka Khan, and everybody got up and started dancing. I’m like, ‘That’s going to be my next entrance song,” he said. “So I switched it over. It was kind of like I matured in the wrestling game when my music matured and my entrance themes matured. So, I went from Jackson 5 to Chaka Khan. Then went from Chaka Khan to ‘Big Pressure,’ and it was my own music.”
Strickland’s music selection has worked well for him, as the fans have even sung along throughout his entrance.
AEW Star Swerve Strickland Reveals Why Entrances Deserve More Importance